Othello: the Outsider(Acts 1 and 2)

It is without a doubt that Shakespeare chooses to expound on the concept of the outsider in the first two acts of the play because this concept or theme will be of paramount importance especially in the later parts of the play. Shakespeare seeks to craft this concept of the outsider in a dramatically effective manner by giving definition to what constitutes being an outsider and what are the implications of being an outsider. This essay ultimately argues that Shakespeare does an excellent job in setting the stage for dramatic tension and conflict in the later acts. However, the inherent flaw in Shakespeare’s dramatic presentation of the outsider remains the extremeness and sheer implausibility of the play’s events in reality.

The very first hint on what an outsider is manifests itself in Iago’s complaints regarding Othello and his chosen lieutenant, Michael Cassio. Shakespeare specifically constructs a scene whereby issues of hierarchy and power gets thrown about in Iago and Roderigo’s conversation. Here, Shakespeare highlights the differences between an ensign and a lieutenant. In act one, scene one, Iago’s cries of society being unfair to him, in “And I, God bless the mark, his Moorship’s ancient” and “preferment goes by letter and affection And not by old gradation” can be seen. Shakespeare took this opportunity to show how positions in hierarchy brought prestige and advantages. Hence, the “insiders” possess things that distinguish themselves from the “outsiders”. In this case, the senators and powerful Venetian folk were on the inside and the ordinary citizens were on the outside. Iago’s perception that he was on the outside would eventually lead him to struggle for recognition and acceptance through manipulating others. Therefore, Shakespeare effectively sets the stage for dramatic tension in the later acts by capitalising on Iago’s discontent in being an outsider.

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...Othello
Dramatis Personae
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Duke of Venice
Othello: Moor, married to Desdoma
Iago: Solider in Othello’s army
Cassio: Lieutenant in Othello’s army
Desdemona: Othello’s wife
Emilia: Iago’s wife
Rodreigo: Solider, love Desdemona
Act I Scene 1
• Read I.1.113-114
• Othello begins in the city of Venice, at night
• Roderigo is having a discussion with Iago, who is bitter at being
passed up as Othello's lieutenant.
• Though Iago had greater practice in battle and in military matters,
Cassio, a man of strategy but of little experience, was named
lieutenant by Othello.
• Iago says that he only serves Othello to further himself, and
makes shows of his allegiance only for his own gain
• He admits that his nature is not at all what it seems.
• Iago is aware that the daughter of Brabantio, Desdemona , has
run off with Othello, the black warrior of the Moors.
• Brabantio knows nothing of this coupling
• Iago decides to enlist Roderigo, who lusts after Desdemona, and
awaken Brabantio with screams that his daughter is gone.
• Watch movie scene
Act I Scene 1
• At first, Brabantio dismisses these cries in the dark
• He realizes his daughter is not there, he gives the news
some credence.
• Roderigo is the one speaking most to Brabantio, but Iago
is there too, hidden, yelling unsavory things about Othello
• Brabantio...

...﻿Towards the ends of Othello both Emilia and Desdemona are confirmed as tragic heroines. Throughout the play, Emilia is beaten down by Iago, as a result of the gender inequality of the time and her low status as a woman. In the last scene though, she finally breaks through this and finds her voice and stands up to patriarchal domination, which leads her to her death, confirming her to be a tragic heroine. Differently, Desdemona starts off as being independent; standing up against her father by marrying Othello against his will. But throughout the play she becomes innocently complicit and naïve to Iago’s scheming and in addition, her marriage encourages her to behave as a woman of the time should and be submissive to Othello. Therefore, despite her innocence at the end of the play, she succumbs in tragic obedience.
The character Emilia’s perepeteia during Othello is in giving the handkerchief to Iago during the middle of act three. During this scene she shows herself as the typical Venetian woman when she says ‘what will you give me now for that same handkerchief? Highlighting, that her loyalties to her husband come before her loyalties to Desdemona. Furthermore later on in the scene when telling the character Iago of the handkerchief ‘that which so often you bid me to steal’ this is the audience’s first hint of Iago letting someone in on his plan. Which is also the audiences’ first hint that Iago...

...In the play Othello by William Shakespeare, Act I and II show the development of the character of Iago and his manipulative and treacherous deeds. It is through Iago and his ways that he works gradually at destroying Othello, defaming Desdemona and deposing of Cassio. In this, we are able to see Iago’s spiteful scheme in which he creates havoc and seeks motives for his malice.
A famous English poet, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, depicts Iago’s actions as “the motive-hunting of motiveless malignity This is seen in Act I and II as Iago seeks reasons, motive hunting to justify his evil deeds. “In personal suit to make me his lieutenant, I am worth no worse a place”. (Act I, scene I). This said my Iago, acknowledges the idea that Iago wanted to become lieutenant but the job was given to Michael Cassio “A Florentine, the bookish theoric”. In this first reason, Iago uses this as motivation to destroy Othello. From the beginning it is clear that Iago hates the “Moor“and so is keen on ruining his life. However, it does not prove a solid reason to destroy Othello and so his act is seen as motiveless because of the weakness in his reason to demolish Othello.
Iago’s second reason in which he blames Othello for is the fact that “its’ thought abroad that twixt my sheets; He’s done my office”. For this reason, Iago cunningly plans on the ruination...

...Shakespeares Othello is considered an outsider within renaissance Venice. He is an outsider who is clever and certain in military matters but is socially insecure. He is demonized by the European society because of his fixed ideas, racial and cultural differences. Within the play, Othello is portrayed as the stereotypical alien, mistrusted and feared for his black skin and ethnic characteristics. Throughout the play he is constantly referred to as the Moor. When others call him black, they refer to his physical stature but also to the idea of symbolism within Elizabethan principles: White is honour, black is wickedness; white is innocence, black is guilt. The use of animal imagery is also used by Iago to help express Othello as a fiend and the choices of animals shows the underlying racial discrimination: Old Black ram and Barbary horse. In addition to this the references to witchcraft and the devil emphasise Othellos differences: The devil will make a grandsire of you, the beast with two backs.
However at the same time Othello is considered to be an insider as he is respected and honoured by those in authority for his disposition and for the services he performs for Venice yet the wider society are xenophobic. These positive impressions are reinforced in the Council chamber when Brabantio presses charges against Othello for marrying his daughter Desdemona, a...

...Name: Adeisha Pierre
Class: U6:3
Subject: Literature
OTHELLOACT1
Lighting is important as it extends Shakespeare’s thematic concerns with the lightness and darkness of character and skin.
Play begins in darkness. Entirety of Act one is in darkness.
Critic: Norman Sanders: “The darkness helps to reveal Iago’s character because it is set in the night and it highlights the dark and devilish nature of his character.”
The darkness feeds Iago’s malicious nature.
Textual evidence: Iago: “Hell and night/ Must bring this monstrous birth to the world’s light.”
We see Iago’s obsession with evil. The darkness that Act one is enshrined in gives Iago the power he needs to plot against and deceive each character he communicates with. For instance he appears to be loyal to Othello whilst simultaneously uttering, “I hate the Moor.”
Iago is Caucasian and is therefore referred to as having “white” skin. This purity and light that the colour white is associated with however, does not extend to his character as Iago is too consumed by dark thoughts. Contrastingly, Othello who is an African Moor and therefore dark in complexion does not let his outward appearance interfere with his inner greatness. This is evident when the Duke says to Brabianto in Scene 3: “Your son-in-law is far more fair than black.” Shakespeare is extending the idea that man should not be judged by his...

...‘Othello’ Act1 Commentary
In the first act of Othello, the antagonist of the play, Iago, is introduced rather than Othello himself. Iago and Roderigo are known to the audience in the beginning while Othello’s name is never mentioned in the first scene but is referred to as ‘he’ ‘him’ ‘moor’ etc. which creates anticipation in the audience. But as the play develops Iago mentions Othello a lot by giving him different other names. These named used by Iago gives us an impression that Othello is a bad character in the play. The theme of racism in the play begins with the start of act1 as Iago uses a lot of imagery to denote the marriage of Othello to Desdemona. Iago yells to Brabantio “an old black ram is tupping your white ewe," which gives us an impression that Othello is an evil rapist. The audience who know nothing about Othello till now are deceived by the animal imagery used by Iago. Moreover, Iago uses juxtaposition of ‘black’ and ‘white’ with the fierce animal imagery makes this idea even more repellent. In addition, Iago says "you'll have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse” to address the same idea of Othello being animal-like and his almost bestial desire and illicit passion. This harsh language used by Iago clearly shows the hatred of Iago towards his master and...

...Describe Act1 Scene 1Othello
The scene opens on a street in Venice at night time. Iago and Roderigo are two friends (or so Roderigo thinks), and they are arguing about a ‘deal’ made between the two of them. Iago, a soldier in the Venetian army, promised Roderigo that he would help him win over the beautiful Desdemona, the daughter of a Venetian senator called Brabantio.
Instead, Desdemona has fallen head over heels in love with a black Moor called Othello, who is very senior in the Venetian army. Iago is personally very upset with Othello, as he bypassed Iago for a promotion in his upper ranks. Iago has been overlooked in favour of a man by the name of Michael Cassio.
Iago is determined to pay Othello back for overlooking him … in fact, he is personally convinced that Othello has slept with his own wife, so he has a very big grudge against him. He begins his plot of revenge by telling Roderigo that they need to tell Desdemona’s father about his daughter’s elopement with Othello. He thinks that, perhaps this will stop Desdemona from running off with Othello if her father finds out. He also knows that will sadden Othello, and rob him of his true love.
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...tragedy Othello is about a Moorish general in the service of Venice who is lured into murderous, self-destructive jealousy by a scheming subordinate. Andrew Davies's modern retelling is set in New Scotland Yard and has all the Bard's wit, romance, pity, and terror -- and then some.
Davies is the screenwriting sensation behind a fascinating mix of theatrical and Masterpiece Theatre productions including Bridget Jones's Diary, The Tailor of Panama, Take a Girl Like You, Wives and Daughters, A Rather English Marriage, Emma, Moll Flanders, Pride and Prejudice, Circle of Friends, Middlemarch, House of Cards, and To Serve Them All My Days.
An accomplished author as well, Davies has published a collection of short stories, Dirty Faxes, and two novels (and their companion screenplays), Getting Hurt and B Monkey. In addition to numerous children's books, he has also written for children's television, including two series of Marmalade Atkins.
Davies has won numerous awards, including an Emmy, two BAFTA awards, three Writers Guild awards, three Broadcasting Press Guild awards, and a Monte Carlo Television Festival award.
In the spring of 2002, Masterpiece Theatre will present his adaptation of Anthony Trollope's The Way We Live Now and the following season his version of Boris Pasternak's epic romance of the Russian revolution, Doctor Zhivago.
Davies discussed his version of Othello in a recent conversation with Masterpiece Theatre....